1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to information retrieval, and more particularly to information retrieval employing a graphical interface.
2. Description of the Background Art
Data storage and retrieval is a very important part of modern life. Large amounts of data are stored, saved, and used for purposes of business, government, education, entertainment, etc. Large quantities of data are used by businesses and other institutions for financial record-keeping, inventory, customer data, employee records, etc.
One of the critical functional aspects of data storage is data organization. Data by itself is not useful unless it can be easily and efficiently obtained, used, organized, and stored for further use.
Databases are digital storage systems that are commonly used for storing large amounts of data. A database typically comprises a large storage device or devices, such as multiple magnetic disc drives or other storage media, and a database management system that is accessed in order to store, find, or retrieve data from within a storage device of the database.
Databases facilitate information storage and retrieval by allowing users easy access to large amounts of data. Databases also enable users to efficiently find and retrieve data. Furthermore, databases enable users to efficiently organize and reorganize data.
A relational database is a type of database composed of one or more related tables composed of rows and columns. A relational database therefore is capable of storing multiple types of data. The tables are related to each other by one or more keys, hence the name relational database. Tables of independent data can be linked or related to one another if all have columns of data (keys) that represent the same data value. An advantageous feature of a relational database is that, due to the multiple table architecture, additional data can be added to a relational database by adding additional tables related by one or more keys.
FIG. 1 shows a typical database 100 comprising multiple data tables 103, 106, and 109. Each table may contain multiple rows and multiple columns. Each row contains data for a particular item, such as an employee in this example. At least one key is used to relate the three tables 103, 106, and 109 to each other. In the example shown, the key may be a series of employee numbers, with each employee number key being unique to an individual employee. Therefore, a particular employee number key may be used to reference an employee name or social security number from table 103, a department number from table 106, an employee age from table 109, etc. Because of the use of the primary key, additional data could later be added, such as, for example, a table of employee first names. Therefore, the use of keys allows for information storage and retrieval without regard for organization. Entries may be added or deleted as needed, regardless of their physical location on the data storage medium.
Information retrieval according to the prior art is still keyboard-based and is generally non-visual. In contrast, humans tend to process information most efficiently when they are able to process it visually.
In the prior art, the use of keys has meant that searching for data items has been done using textual, command line database queries. Data is typically found and retrieved from a relational database by the means of a search employing Boolean search terms such as “AND”, “OR”, “NOR”, “NOT”, etc., to specify a particular data or data category. In addition, database searches have been substantially formalized through database standards, such as a SQL (structured query language) query. SQL is a software language that provides a standard database interface. For example, using a typical SQL-type query, a search for all employees of department number 1000 that are 55 years old may require a query entry of “dept=1000 AND age=55.” This is a fairly simple query for experienced database users, but not necessarily simple to persons who have no acquaintance with Boolean logic and Boolean operators. This query therefore is not user-friendly or efficient. Furthermore, the query may easily become more complex if the user desires information that includes and excludes certain persons. Furthermore, typing or otherwise entering textual queries is time-consuming for the user, and the user must understand how to format the search. The search may be unsatisfactory or may fail if the user does not type in terms correctly or does not know what data is stored in the particular database being accessed.
Efficient and user-friendly information retrieval has become more and more important as databases grow in size and as users become less sophisticated in database knowledge and manipulation. A good example of this is in the explosion of client-server data storage applications. A difficulty that may be encountered in client-server data storage applications is that the user (client) may not know anything about database design or functionality. This is especially true in data transactions over the Internet, where the user may not even be aware that he or she is accessing a database. Furthermore, users have gradually expanded from middle-aged technical professionals to include elderly persons and children, both of whom are unlikely to have much computer expertise. In client-server applications it is highly desirable that data transactions be graphical in nature and intuitive to use.
Therefore, there remains a need for improvement in information retrieval.